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ERIC Number: ED576065
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 258
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: 978-1-3696-8351-6
ISSN: EISSN-
EISSN: N/A
An Examination of Career Satisfaction for Medical Laboratory Professionals Using Wlodkowski's Motivational Framework
Kenwright, Kathleen M.
ProQuest LLC, Ed.D. Dissertation, The University of Memphis
Medical laboratory science professionals are healthcare practitioners who provide laboratory data that aids in the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease. However, there is a large shortage of these professionals who perform the laboratory tests behind the scenes with very minimal patient contact. The purpose of this research was to determine which job features create motivation and career satisfaction to retain personnel in the medical laboratory profession. The four research questions which guided this study were based on Wlodkowski's theory of motivation: Is there a difference in perceived career satisfaction among medical laboratory scientists who: (a) feel more included by practitioners in other healthcare professions, (b) have choices on the job that are personally relevant, (c) feel more challenged in their daily work, and (d) feel more competent in their daily work? In particular, this study compared the satisfaction scores for laboratory personnel who are included on inter-professional teams in healthcare, make choices that are personally relevant, feel challenged in their daily work, and feel competent in their field. The methodology for the study was survey research. A survey composed of 36 questions was developed to capture the opinions of medical laboratory professionals who worked in the United States and had at least one year of experience. In addition, the medical laboratory professionals were certified by a national certification agency. The survey was deployed using Qualtrics survey software and posted on social media sites which included Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) was used to calculate ANOVAs correlation analysis, and Cronbach alpha. The results of the research found that 77% (n = 257) of the 334 eligible participants rated their career satisfaction as 3 or higher on a 5-point scale. While correlational analysis showed positive correlations between career satisfaction for medical laboratory scientists who are included on inter-professional teams, feel challenged in their work, and make choices that are personally relevant. This study has implications for the medical laboratory science profession as the evidence showed that changes in the laboratory environment could lead to increased job satisfaction. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]
ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway, P.O. Box 1346, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. Tel: 800-521-0600; Web site: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml
Publication Type: Dissertations/Theses - Doctoral Dissertations
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A